Get to know the people working behind the scenes to make Bondora the best online investment platform in Europe through our exciting Bondora Superstars blog series! It showcases Bondorians’ passion for what they do, why they love working at Bondora, and cool tidbits you didn’t know about them. Read on to see what makes our fifth Bondora Superstar so unique, how she handpicks the best talent to work at Bondora, and what her favorite thing is about her team:
Bondora Superstars #5 — Leila Mäll
👱🏼♀️Bondorian since: 2013
📣Role: Senior HR Specialist & Lead Recruiter
🧑🏼🤝🧑🏼Team: People
Seven years ago, Leila took a chance on an HR position at a young start-up company called Bondora. For three years, she was the only HR person in the company and was a one-woman band. Fast-forward to now: She’s our Senior HR Specialist & Lead Recruiter in a team of 4 HR Superstars, and loving her job every step of the way. It’s safe to say that leap of faith paid off…
A typical day for Leila looks something like this:
“My morning starts with coffee; otherwise, I feel like something is missing. Then I’ll start to plan my day. I take a small piece of paper and write down everything I need to do. I know this is old school stuff, especially if you work at a fintech, but it’s been working for me for the last 7 years. Then I set out to find the best people from all over the world to join our growing team.”
Leila used to do various things at Bondora, but recently she started focusing solely on recruitment to make sure we find the right people in a short time frame. This means she meets many people every day via email, video calls, over the phone, and face-to-face. For some, that might sound horrifying, but being a true people’s person, there’s nothing Leila enjoys more:
“The most rewarding part of my job is meeting tons of great, talented people, learning all the time, and creating value for the company.”
Okay, there might be one thing she enjoys more than meeting new people, and that’s working alongside her team of HR Superstars. If you walk into our offices, you’ll know where HR sits after a few seconds. Their corner is always filled with laughter and giggles:
“I’m glad my team is a huge part of my day. They help me stay focused, and no day passes without jokes.”
📚 Leila’s must-read book:
Never Split the Difference by Chriss Voss. The book gives you a great insight into negotiating and how to use it in different situations.
Investing in Bondorians
Leila didn’t always know that she wanted to work in HR. But she’s always considered herself a people’s person, so it was a logical path to pursue. Even though working with people might not always be the easiest thing, to her, it’s super rewarding:
“If they are happy to be part of Bondora’s journey, that is just the best feeling. Then you know you’ve done something right.”
And Leila herself is also happy with her Bondora journey. She loves being part of a growing company filled with different, passionate people with sparks in their eyes and bright dreams for the future. It’s a relaxing atmosphere where you can just be yourself. And that ties into the best advice she’s ever gotten: “Believe in yourself: This will take you to the next level; you can achieve so much more when you know who you are and what you are capable of doing.”
What’s your favorite Bondora value?
“One team! I have never ever worked in a place where you don’t just have colleagues, but you can call them friends too. I always share this during the recruitment and on-boarding process because I feel that you need amazing people around you to be a better version of yourself, and at Bondora, that’s exactly what you get.”
Okay, enough business. Let’s get personal!
Pineapple on pizza?
Definitely! It makes the pizza so juicy.
What’s your favorite food?
Pasta Bolognese with parmesan cheese – the ultimate comfort food.
And what food do you refuse to eat?
I’m not a fan of seafood. Don’t get me wrong, I love fish, but all the other creatures don’t excite me at all 😅
What’s your spirit animal?
I like to think I’m a bit like a Lion 🦁 I’m super protective of my people and territory, and I can fight back if I feel that someone has crossed the line, but at the same time, I can enjoy lying under the sun and watching the days go by.
Now you know a little more about our legendary Professional People’s Person. Her primary role might be recruiting, but she also ensures that every Bondorian is happy and fulfilled. Thanks for taking the chance on Bondora seven years ago, Leila. We’re so lucky to have you on the team.
Check back next month for our 6th Bondora Superstar ⭐️
The views and opinions expressed in this article are that of the individual and not Bondora’s official view.